A little under two weeks ago I had a molar tooth surgically extracted, and I’ve been as sick as a dog ever since.
What now follows is a self-indulgent wallowing blog post about pain, drugs, and bowel movements (or the lack thereof). If you prefer not to read my tales of woe, please feel free to skip this post – which doesn’t really have much to do with weight loss.
I started back at Slimming World 2 months ago, and in the last 8 weeks I’ve made great progress and managed to lose 2 stone in weight.
I wasn’t prepared to receive my 2 stone award today, as I was still 3½ away as of last week, and I didn’t think that was achievable. However I ended up losing 4 lbs in the week, which was amazing!
I wasn’t doing anything special this week – I was just following the food optimising plan as usual. And I guess it paid off!
In less good news, I’m feeling pretty ropey today, as I had a tooth surgically extracted yesterday, and it was a lot more traumatic than I had imagined it would be. I’m on a whole rake of drugs, but I still feel like I’m nursing a bad hangover – when I haven’t even had a drink!
It’s also sad that we’re losing our lovely consultant Caoimh at my Saturday morning SW group. It’s a real shame to see her go, but she’s still continuing to run her Tuesday and Wednesday groups. We don’t yet know who we’re getting to replace her on Saturdays mornings – but at least we’ve had assurances that the group will continue with somebody.
I spent a couple of days in hospital earlier this week, with a bit of health scare. Luckily I was given the all-clear, and was allowed to go home after a 34 hour stay.
I arrived in hospital about 12 noon on Tuesday, having only had a small bowl of Bran Flakes that morning. As I waited in the A&E waiting room, I was too nervous to think about eating. But by the time that dinner time came around, I was starving!
So I was delighted to see the catering person pushing a squeaking trolley in my direction. I was less delighted, however, when they offered me either a pre-packaged ham or egg sandwich – on white bread – together with a cup of tea. And that was it! That was dinner!
I was so hungry, I would have gladly eaten the arm off the old lady in the bed next to me, and all they offer me is a two pieces of plastic bread and a slice of ham? The sandwich barely lasted 10 seconds, and if anything I was more hungry having finished it!
The Misses was duly dispatched to find the hospital canteen, but it was closed. The only thing open was a coffee shop, and the only food on offer was more sandwiches/wraps, crisps, and cakes/biscuits! So much for healthy eating in a hospital! There was not a sign of a piece of fruit, a vegetable, or a even a leaf of salad.
Due to the limited choices on offer, all thoughts of food optimisation swiftly left my mind, and I ravenously tore into a tuna and egg wrap, a bag of crisps, a flapjack bar, and a bottle of diet club orange. Not the best dinner I have ever had in my life, but it was better than nothing.
The choice for breakfast the next day wasn’t any better. I was given two small slices of wholewheat bread, some butter, jam and a (full-fat) yoghurt. I don’t really like yoghurts, but it was the only thing on offer, so I ate it.
I was then told that I was to be nil-by-mouth for the rest of the day, as they were trying to get me on a list for a surgical procedure later that day. So I had to lie there on my A&E trolley for the rest of the day listening to my tummy rumbling.
I did go and have the procedure at about 5.00pm, and thankfully it all went well, but by the time I got back to my bed, I had missed the dinner service. And the only thing the staff could offer me to eat was… more bread! This time in the shape of two slices of toast.
In the course of 30 odd hours in hospital, I had been fed 6 slices of bread, butter, a slice of ham, and a yoghurt – a very bread-centred diet I’m sure you’ll agree, and one that no-doubt added up to a lot of syns – not that I bothered trying to count them!
I was eventually released from hospital at 9.00pm on the Wednesday, and was still starving hungry. And at that time of night, having just endured two stress-filled days on an A&E trolley, and having only had about 2 hours sleep the previous night, the last thing I wanted to do was prepare a delicious syn-free healthy dinner.
I was on the phone to the chinese takeaway before we had even left the hospital grounds, and some 20 minutes later I was lustily tucking into a hot steaming bowl of prawn curry and boiled rice. My first hot food in 48 hours, and my first meal that wasn’t full of bread!
So here I am, starting Slimming World for the second time in my life.
I did it once before, about two years ago, along with my wife. We went along faithfully every week to class for six months, and during that time I managed to lose just over 4 stone in weight. So I know that Slimming World works. But unfortunately life seemed to get in the way, and we stopped going.
I got seriously ill, and healthy eating didn’t seem to be the biggest priority in life. Indeed, my doctors kept telling me not to worry about my weight, and instead concentrate on my treatment and getting better. So I took that as a license to go crazy and eat all of the wrong foods. And wouldn’t you know it, all of the weight went back on, and a few pounds more!
I was sat at home all day, and it was very easy to stuff my face with chocolate, sweets and crisps. I knew it wasn’t healthy eating, but I could blame the steroids given to me as part of my treatment for giving me the munchies.
So I end up at the point that I now weigh 24 stones, and all my 3XL shirts are straining at the seams. I’ve finished my treatment, and (here’s hoping) I have been cured from my illness. And so it’s time to do something about my weight.
I know all about healthy eating. I’ve been on countless diets over the years. However most diets leave me feeling hungry for most of the time. But Slimming World is different. You can eat as much as you want, as long as you’re eating healthily. And so I’m signing up to start again.
My first goal is to try and get 4 stone off by the end of the year. After that we’ll see how we go.
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